Marsha Maung:: Freelance graphic designer and writer

Ok, I cannot remember everything but at least I will give it a shot. Hey, my life’s been kinda a whirlwind and you remember Katrina for being Katrina but you don’t remember every single altitude that Katrina went through, right?

Right.

Here goes nothing…

Twenty years ago (1985)
I just entered Form 1 at this stage and felt it strange because there was a special class for the deaf and dumb right next to my class. I learnt sign language and discovered the world of non-hearing at this point in time. It was also during this year that I joined Interact Club and struggled to become one of those who stood out. Whatever it took to stood out, I was willing to do. I took to the Community Service director and she took me under her wing and the next year, I became ASSISTANT Community Service director which almost guaranteed me a post as Community Service director the following year,Oh yeah….Gem! Gosh, I love that stupid girl’s earrings. I thought she was the coolest thing on earth! I cannot forget Knight Rider (the now-flabby David Haselholf) Johnny Depp in 21^st Jump Street, and another show that my mind can’t recall. Not my fault, my mind cannot recall). Of course, how can I forget the time when  me and my sister fought about Joe McIntyre and Jon McKNight (both of New Kids on the Block) every single night. We even bought NKOTB shirts for New Year as new year’s clothing!!! Urgh! But I still love Joe McIntyre. I used to sign my name as Marsha McIntyre all the time, mind you!

I also discovered the world of cheerleading! I was the first captain of Blue House in SMDJ. I have to say that the cheerleading team for SMDJ has come a long way (they were the champion for a recent national cheerleading competition) but hey, don’t forget, Marsha Maung paved the way!!!

Ten years ago (1996)
Man, these were the most fun 5 years of my life, I have to say, but also the most tumultous. In 1993, entered new college environment. Those in KL and PJ know that KDU, at that point in time was known as the party college. Not serious about studying but parents forcing you to study? Choose KDU and your problem is solved.

Anyway, was engaged in a lot of dancing, singing, choreographing, modeling, boyfriend-ing activities. I also ponteng-ed a lot. I know some of my clean-cut classmates didn’t like me at all because I would come into class in the middle of the whole thing and then beg each and every one of them for notes. I would borrow the notes, forget to return them because I was in the middle of a rehearsel for one thing or another.

Life, for me during that time, was nothing but rehearsel after rehearsel after rehearsel. Man, it was fun. I was made for these stuff.

EIGHT years ago (1997)
Tumultous year for me. Left my boyfriend of  4 years, was an everyday bar dancer (as a client), grabbed DJs butts, slept in parking lots, pulled women’s hair in catfights, fell off tall 6 foot speakers, took ecstacy because someone said I was a sissified lawyer (working as Legal Officer in a Bank), fell out with God-sis, fell out with God-bro, fell out with the rest of the world, got hooked with a Bastard, didn’t fall in love with a guy I thought I should have and instead, got involved with my now-husband. Now. Tell me that isn’t a tumultous year…or WHAT!!!

During this time, in 1999, I also started my stint as a professional singer with a band called Ji Yu Jin (Freedom People in chinese) who essentially sang Chinese songs. They realized they needed someone who sang ENGLISH and MALAY if they wanted to break into the market – and there I was. The most exhilirating time of my life when I sang in Sunway Lagoon infront of 20,000 off crowd during a concert held my Rock artists from Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Malaysia and Korea. In the whole concert, I was the only female artist, therefore, everyone focused on me as a selling point. Come see the only female bafoon during the concert – guranteed to be scantily clad.

I remember fighting with the makeup artist for wanting to put a question mark above my eyebrow. I fought with the dressing lady for wanting to make me wear an almost-non-existant bra top during out performance. I also fought with the choreographer (not me) for wanting me to gyrate infront of the 20,000 crowd!

All of this and I was 3-months pregnant!

Five years ago (2000)
Bang! Big change! Year 2000 is the year I gave birth to Joshua Tan Yi How (now, 2005, 5+ years old)  everything took an about turn! From banker, to performer, to mother! Too much too take, man. Sank to depression and wanted to be someone else…maybe I wanted to be Jennifer Lopez or Jennifer Aniston…..Angelina Jolie would be good too.
I worked in 2 dotbombs…asianauto and asiaonair. With asianauto, a certain Bastard was too young to know about managing his staff and thought he was the coolest human being to grace the earth. I was also a mother who was struggling with innerself cause I wanted to be with my child – I wanted to be home more than I wanted to be at work abot 500%.

I skipped to asiaonair where by title said that I was a Web Promotions Executive (after that was Online Promotions Manager). They saw that I could write and produce scripts, so, I became ALSO Broadband Content Manager (same problem with Krista). Extra work, no extra pay.

Quit my work and started working as a freelance writer and graphic designer.

I said bye bye.

Three years ago (2002)
Gave birth to Jared Tan Yi Hoong, the love of my life, one of the apples of my eye. This was also the time that I started to see some progress in terms of my online business. People found me and wanted to work with me. Thankfully, this is the answer to my dreams. No more wondering about tomorrow’s lunch and dinner.

This year (2005)
Despite everything, I realize, this year, that nothing is left up to fate. Everything that I have done in the past, good and bad, have shaped me to be the person that I am today. I write (which is something that I like to do), I do graphic designing, I have online businesses and I answer to no one. I don’t answer your phone call? Too bad, that’s cause I don’t want to work with you and you suck!

No one can take me away from my kids and my family.

Admittedly, there has been some major challenges this year – but all in all, everything is working out. Hopefully, for the better. Who knows.

On to you then.
Joe Compton and Mindy